Rust warranty?

[teknow]

About to buy a 2001 (X) CLK 230K.

The arches have not gone yet - but when I ran my finger under them, the paint is starting to go.

The car was originally imported from Germany (Bremen!)

It has a full MBSH ... so if I took it to a UK dealer, should they sort out this corrosion free of charge?

I've been told that because the car was originally imported, there may be a problem?

 

[andy_k]

You'll probably get an offer of a goodwill gesture from MB through your dealer.

However, you can rest assured that will be covered by a big pile of terms and conditions including owning the car for at least 6 months and rely on you using the approved bodyshop.

We've just had a quote from the local MB approved bodyshop and they wanted in excess of £3k for work that other local shops will do for less than half the price and who will offer a better warranty on their paint.

I think that if you buy a car with bodywork issues it's really unfair to expect MB to pick up the tab as the price you pay will inevitably reflect the true value of the car.

IMHO some warranties shouldn't be transferable

 

[teknow]

The body shop quoted £300+VAT to do both rear wheel arches. As I say, don't think they've gone yet - just paint behind lip is starting to lift.

 

[andy_k]

for £350 it's hardly worth waiting 6 months for the fight with MB

just get the seller to drop the price by another £400 and get the arches resprayed in the spring once we are past the worst of the winter with all the salty roads

 

[Smiley]

Dont think MB UK will want to know as it did not come in through them. Not 100% on that though. Assume the worst and get the price adjusted.

 

[wongl]

About to buy a 2001 (X) CLK 230K.

The arches have not gone yet - but when I ran my finger under them, the paint is starting to go.

The car was originally imported from Germany (Bremen!)

It has a full MBSH ... so if I took it to a UK dealer, should they sort out this corrosion free of charge?

I've been told that because the car was originally imported, there may be a problem?

An imported car shouldn't be a problem in my experience - provided you find the correct/friendly dealer. My not so local dealer has has just got MB UK to cover the cost of doing both rear arches on my 7 year old imported A-Class which I have had from new. Very sad that rust should be coming through a 7 year old Merc that has been religously garaged from new and hand washed nearly every week.

Still they did the right thing in picking up the tab fully.

P/S the 6 month rule has been scrapped by MB since 2007 but some dealerships are not aware of this and you will need to get them to double check with MB HQ as I found with my E-Class (unfortunately I didn't spot the rust behind the door rubbers until I was cleaning it a couple of weeks after I purchased it). The rust has come back in just over a year so I am now waiting to hear from MB as this has to be done under another claim by friendly dealership.

 

[andy_k]

I think the 6 month thing still applies if you have bought the car privately or through a non MB garage - or at least that's what MB Eastbourne reckon.

TBH, if you were aware of the rust when you bought the car, I think it's a little bit wrong to start a warranty claim. If however, you've bought the car from a dealer and discover rust they haven't told you about. Well.....that's a bit different

Andy

 

[wongl]

I think the 6 month thing still applies if you have bought the car privately or through a non MB garage - or at least that's what MB Eastbourne reckon.

TBH, if you were aware of the rust when you bought the car, I think it's a little bit wrong to start a warranty claim. If however, you've bought the car from a dealer and discover rust they haven't told you about. Well.....that's a bit different

Andy

My local MB dealership told me to come back after 6 month when I discovered the rust on my newly (but privately) purchased E320 last year. But when I enquired at another MB dealership they informed me the 6 month rule has been scrapped early 2007 and suggested that I get back to my local MB dealership to get them to double check with MB HQ. After I did this, my local MB dealership rang back to confrim that the 6 months rule had indeed been scrapped and asked me to bring the car back to them for the photos and paperwork to be carried out for the rust claim. They also confirmed that they were not aware that this rule had been scrapped and we very curious how I knew about it when they were not aware of the change!

After this experience I decided to ask the non-local MB dealership to handle my claim as they seem to know their stuff better. They sucessfully made a claim for my E320 with MB well within 2 month of ownership. Earlier this year they even made a successfully claim for my 7-year old imported A-Class. :bannana:

In my opinion, this dealership is worth their weight in gold and they now have my business for all my 3 cars even though they are located outside the M25 and not at all local to me.

To be honest, it never even occurred for me to check for rust when I was looking over the E320 at the point of sale as the car had been owned and garaged from new. My previous 10-year old 190E and my current trusty C180 (purchased in 1998) are completely rust free. You can imagine how shocked I was at the discovery of rust on both my E320 and my A-Class.

 

[pdqkwaker]

Not all dealers are as helpfull

My local MB dealership told me to come back after 6 month when I discovered the rust on my newly (but privately) purchased E320 last year. But when I enquired at another MB dealership they informed me the 6 month rule has been scrapped early 2007 and suggested that I get back to my local MB dealership to get them to double check with MB HQ. After I did this, my local MB dealership rang back to confrim that the 6 months rule had indeed been scrapped and asked me to bring the car back to them for the photos and paperwork to be carried out for the rust claim. They also confirmed that they were not aware that this rule had been scrapped and we very curious how I knew about it when they were not aware of the change!

After this experience I decided to ask the non-local MB dealership to handle my claim as they seem to know their stuff better. They sucessfully made a claim for my E320 with MB well within 2 month of ownership. Earlier this year they even made a successfully claim for my 7-year old imported A-Class. :bannana:

In my opinion, this dealership is worth their weight in gold and they now have my business for all my 3 cars even though they are located outside the M25 and not at all local to me.

To be honest, it never even occurred for me to check for rust when I was looking over the E320 at the point of sale as the car had been owned and garaged from new. My previous 10-year old 190E and my current trusty C180 (purchased in 1998) are completely rust free. You can imagine how shocked I was at the discovery of rust on both my E320 and my A-Class.

I think Wong has hit the nail on the head. It all boils down to how much your local dealer wants to help you out. This is wrong I know, because you would think they'd all be singing from the same hyme book. Sadly that's not the case.

Like I've said in previous postings though, if you want something bad enough you have to shout loud. If you local dealer won't play ball then complain to Mercedes-Benz themselves. They will then get in touch with the dealer to ask what the're doing about it.

Keep pushing and you will get it sorted out!